Celebrities

Earlier this year everyone was glued to The Big Reunion which is a show about 90s pop groups who were making a comeback. The format was that the groups would reminisce about their glittery life as a popstar, talk bitterly about the trauma of the break up and then hug it all out after a mini meltdown. Then the real work would beginning – training tirelessly for a massive concert at the Hammersmith Apollo. The result was a combination of Jeremy Kyle and X Factor and it was truly addictive with1.2 million viewers tuning in. You won’t be surprised to hear that The Big Reunion is back with another series called The Big Reunion: On Tour. One of the pop groups taking part is the Honeyz and they have a new single out called Price You Play. Celena Cherry is the lead singer of the group and she took five minutes out to talk to me about her acting career and her tech essentials.

When did you decide that you wanted to be a singer? I had always loved singing and music from a young age, my mum said I started performing for the family at the age of two. I was always inspired by Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, in fact I later became good friends with Michael and now I do a tribute show with my partner who is an MJ impersonator called MJ ETERNITY.

How did you get your first break? I was fortunate as a child to attend theatre school from four to 16 and had my first break on TV singing when I was only six on Max Headrooms Christmas Turkey. You can actually find it online! It’s so funny. My big break came with Honeyz aged 18.

We all saw you on The Big Reunion, how difficult was it for you face your issues with your co-members? It was really difficult for me as I had many issues with the group. I felt very let down all the time and after it ended I suffered from depression really badly so I had spent many years in therapy putting it behind me and facing my demons. So when the big reunion came along it was either make or break time for me mentally, thank god it turned out to be one of the best things I ever did.

Name five tech products that you cannot live without with the reasons why? I cannot live without my phone for sure! I need it like I need air.mainly because I hate when I’m away from my other half and kids so its our main route of contact. And my iPad mini too. That’s about as tech as I get. I don’t have 5 products!!! Lol

Do you tweet or instagram? Yes I do both. I love Twitter, you can directly communicate with fans .its great. And I love to tweet pics of food I’m eating.

Do you follow any celebrities on Twitter? Yes I do. Some are friends and some because I’m a fan of theirs and I wanna be nosey.

How important do you think Social Media has been for celebrities in creating brands? I think in this day and age it’s extremely important. It’s the way to do things now. You can reach out to people instantly in a way you couldn’t 15 years ago.

What should we expect from The Honeyz? Honeyz are in a really amazing place right now. We are all enjoying it so much more this time around and are in the studio penning an album. We have a new single Price You Pay hopefully coming out this year and the future is bright.

The Big Reunion: On Tour returns tonight with another series, catch it at 9pm on ITV2.

Karen Bryson became a household name with her role as Avril Powell in the popular show, Shameless. Karen has become a firm fixture on British TV ever since graduating for last decade and has featured in Buried, Bodies, The Bill, Holby City, Silent Witness, Torn, The Children and Doctors. Karen also won a Screen Nation award in 2013 for her work in Shameless. She took five minutes out to talk to me about her acting career and her tech essentials.

When did you know acting was for you? I knew acting was for me, very early on in my life. As a child I would be the one in the play ground improvising and rehearsing plays with my unwitting friends. Performing for anyone who’d watch! For me it was never a case of what do I what to do, but how?

How did you get your first break? My first break into the professional acting world was straight out of drama school LAMDA. I did Romeo and Juliet at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. I couldn’t believe I was being paid to do what I love.

How has Shameless changed your life?Shameless was such an amazing experience on so many levels. I was overwhelmed how popular a show it is. So I now get the fantastic fans saying hello when I’m out and about. As far as changing my life, that would be on a professional level. By that I mean playing Avril for three years in a show like Shameless, which constantly pushed the envelope. I have learnt to think outside of the box and take some risks as an actor. …. Oh and I can no longer go to the corner shop for the papers in my pajamas on a Sunday morning.

Name five tech products that you cannot live without with the reasons why? 1. My smart phone.. Simply because I actually can’t imagine life without it..( scary ) I use to take photographs, write receive emails, tweet, text message, whether reports, trains times.. The list is endless.

2. A close number two would be my tablet. Since I commuted from London to Manchester weekly.. This amazing thing made my life so much easier. I had all my scripts, which I could refer to at the touch of a button. Also I’m helping save the planet by not using paper. Also I’m a film buff, so for my journeys back and forth I could also rent and watch films. I also used it to sykpe my husband. It also weighs next to nothing.

3.My laptop, I can move around my house with ease and be totally connected through the wonderful powers of wifi.

4. DVD recorder.. I can tape Shameless.

5. My Wii, I love games, and the fact a lot of the games are quite physical games that can be played in groups, makes for hours of entertainment.

Do you tweet or Instagram? Oh yes, I was bitten by the bugs only late last year. I must admit I was resistant but I love Twitter as way of sharing information expressing thoughts, ideas. It’s also great to have instant access to the fans of the show and vice versa. As for Instagram, what a lovely idea. As a keen amateur photographer, being able to capture and share your life through photographs. I dislike when people post words, it almost defeats the object.

Do you follow any celebrities on Twitter? Yes a few…

How important do you think Social Media has been for celebrities in creating brands? I think Social Media has played a huge part in celebrities creating brands. Some might argue there is an element of manipulation. Instant contact globally? The press now regularly use this medium in their reporting. The celebrities who are honest and somewhat open are the most successful for me. For example, I love Sheridan Smiths tweets, I feel I get a real sense of who she is, and she’s fabulous!

You can watch Karen on Shameless on Tuesdays at 10pm on Channel 4.

About

Blogger: Ronke Adeyemi

I guess you can say that I am a bit of geek who loves stylish tech gadgets. Style & Tech is my blog that puts the sexy into the tech industry. I will be covering the latest laptops, digital cameras, tablets, the coolest software and apps, as well as stylish accessories for your mobile phones, iPads and tablets.